The first week

Sorry it has taken so long to put another update on here. Things are pretty busy around here, as you can imagine. I thought I would fill you all in regarding the labor and delivery and the first week of little Addison's life.

My contractions started consistently on Saturday evening and we didn't check into the hospital until about 24 hours later. I was exhausted! I was having back labor, so they were very painful. It was 11:30 p.m. once we got settled in and I got my epidural. I was only 1-2 cm. dilated when I arrived, but they kept me there because the baby's heart rate kept dropping to about 50 and then jump right back up. They wanted to monitor her. Jeremy turned as white as ghost during the epidural...quite surprising. The nurse said that I would most likely have the baby in the late morning/early afternoon. We decided to not call Jeremy's parents since it was so late and to just call first thing in the morning so they could get her right after the delivery. Around 1:30 a.m. the nurse came in saying she didn't like what the baby's heart rate was doing and called in the doctor. They broke my water and started an internal monitor. The monitor looked like the cord was wrapped around her neck and warned us we might have a c-section. Of course we couldn't sleep after that. At about 5:15 a.m. the doctor came in and checked me and I was 5 cm. and made me 10 cm. Didn't know she could do that! They said I would pushing within an hour, but to expect to push up to two hours. Jeremy immediately made some phone calls waking a lot of people, I'm sure. I pushed for maybe 40 minutes and little Addison made her debut at 6:48 a.m. The doctor said I was a "demon pusher". I guess that is good thing. :)

When Addison came out she was quiet and looking around, but as soon as they brought her to the warming table she was wailing! The doctor and nurses were laughing about how bad her temper was. Great! The temper comes from her dad (hee hee) and the lungs come from her mom (hee hee). Jeremy and I were surprised by her weight. I was just told the previous Friday that she would probably be 7 to 7.5 pounds. We were also surprised by her head of dark hair. She is beautiful and Jeremy was instantly wrapped around her finger!

After the delivery I started to fill sick to me stomach so they gave me some Finagrin and it knocked me out until about noon. After 48 hours of no sleep I was exhausted! I was also starving! The hospital food didn't cut it and I finally got my Jimmy John's turkey sandwich on Tuesday. (For those you who didn't know, this is the one food I wanted, but couldn't have while I was pregnant. Jeremy knew he was required to get this for me post-delivery!) We had some wonderful nurses and lactation consultants. One nurse I wanted to write a thank-you note to because she was so incredible! We had many friends and family visit. When we were leaving the nurse said, "Bye little Addison. You are too cute, but you sure do have a temper!" On Monday night she got kicked out of the nursery because she wouldn't stop crying. Another nurse said she was one of the most stubborn babies she had ever seen and she had worked there 15 years! Apparently we are going to have our hands full!

Addison has been adjusting pretty well at home. We are still working on nursing...it's tough! She has been very cooperative for all her visitors by sleeping peacefully or being wide awake. She actually has been pretty good with sleeping at night. Some nights are better than others. She'll sleep a long time and then I feed her and she doesn't want to go back to sleep. She is a night baby and gets that from her mom and my mom.

We went to the pediatrician on Monday for a check-up. When we left the hospital she weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. She weighed 8.1 on Monday. We have to go back next week for a weight check to make sure she has gained back all her weight (from her birth weight). Other than that everything looked great and she did very well. It was also my birthday on Monday. Definitely spent the day differently than any other birthday. It was nice to spend time together as a family. That has been my favorite thing so far, we are now a family and it is wonderful!

Thanks again for all the wonderful cards, phone calls, presents, etc. We are overwhelmed with everyone's love for us and our daughter (and yeah, it is weird to say the word "daughter").





In her swing for the first time. She loves it and that helps me out during the day so I can get some things done or rest.


My grandmother meeting her first great-granddaughter.


Her first sponge bath...obviously pretty mad. See the temper! She gets really red, almost purple, when she screams.


My great friend, Laura, meeting Addie. She loves to snuggle!


Our family!


Sadie checking out the baby


In all pink. Jeremy bought this outfit for her for Christmas.


With our wonderful friends Brooke and Brandon Kline. Their little boy is due April 4th!


After a bath...all cozy!